Back in the Pyra Empire, everyone was in a frenzy, searching desperately for their Empress, who had been kidnapped.
Somewhere in the isolated area of the Empire,
“Yes, kill them both… Before Victor arrives at the Empire. We cannot afford to lose him or…. worse, turn him into our enemy. He still has plenty of use for us,” the Master’s deep, commanding voice echoed from the glowing orb. The first hooded figure stood motionless, staring at the orb, absorbing every word.
“Are you really sure about this? I mean, killing them right now might—”
“Is something wrong there?” The Master suddenly interrupted, his tone sharpening with suspicion. It was rare for this figure—who always nodded in agreement without a shred of hesitation—to pause, even for a second.
Yet now, there was something… something different.
The figure flinched before quickly shaking her head as if snapping out of it. “O-Of course not… I just had a thought about the process. Didn’t we need Sandra for that?”
The Master narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her response before giving a slow nod. “Yes, we do. That’s why, apart from her life… destroy everything. We just need her barely alive. You know what to do, don’t you?” His voice dropped lower, more menacing, “No matter what happens, Victor’s sword must never turn against us.”
“By doing this, we’ll be igniting a war between two Empires, Master. This won’t be an easy path,” the figure pointed out.
A long silence followed before the Master finally spoke. “If war is what it takes to protect us… then so be it.”
The first hooded figure didn’t hesitate any further. She cut off the signal, inhaled deeply, and her fingers tightened into a fist as she summoned her sword with a sharp yank of her hand.
“Well… I guess that’s that~” she muttered, shrugging to herself. Turning toward the entrance of the hideout, she took a step forward—only to halt abruptly, her entire body stiffening.
Her gaze locked onto the sight before her.
The back view of….
Sandra… was straddling Aether?
“Ahhhh~”
“Nooo~”
“W-What the actual fuck?” The hooded figure’s face, hidden beneath the deep shadows of her cloak, contorted in sheer disbelief. Sandra’s ass was grinding against Aether’s crotch, moving in slow, deliberate motions. Aether’s legs trembled under her, his fingers gripping the ground as though he were barely holding himself together.
“H-Hold on a damn second!” The hooded figure immediately stepped forward, her voice almost cracking. “Let me just—”
Her words came to an abrupt halt the moment she took a clearer look at the situation.
Sandra wasn’t just straddling him.
She was strangling him!!
“Oh?” The hooded figure blinked as she was taken aback slightly and… relief?
“You fucking rotten man!!” Sandra bellowed furiously, her fingers tightening around Aether’s throat with the full intent of crushing it.
Aether groaned, his body twitching from the pain… and from something else entirely.
No, no… He wasn’t into the whole masochist kink.
Definitely not!!
But Sandra’s ass was grinding against his lap with an almost infuriatingly perfect rhythm, pressing down just right, making his body betray him.
His cock twitched, hardening against the friction, even as his breath was being choked out of him.
He was supposed to feel threatened, supposed to be fighting back—but instead, amusement flickered in his eyes, barely concealed beneath the growing heat in his body.
Was she trying to kill him or… fuck him?
‘Whatever she’s trying to do, she better make up her damn mind fast!’ Aether thought.
The first hooded figure stared blankly at Sandra, then slowly turned her gaze toward Raven, who was also watching the scene unfold with an unreadable expression. But there was something strange about Raven’s face—something dark and primal simmering beneath the surface.
Was that… jealousy?
‘What the actual fuck is going on?’ The hooded figure barely had time to process the insanity before—
Slap!!
“BITCH!!” Sandra shrieked, whirling around to glare at the hooded figure after receiving a sharp slap to her ass.
The figure blinked, then looked down at her own hand, momentarily taken aback. “Damn. That’s one fine ass,” she muttered in genuine appreciation and inwardly added, ‘But not as finest mine~’
Sandra’s face turned a deep shade of red for a brief moment before she snapped back. “What the fuck do you want, bitch?!”
“That’s supposed to be my question, darling~” The figure’s voice dripped with amusement as she slowly sheathed her weapon, a smirk tugging at her lips. Her sharp gaze flickered between Sandra and Aether. “Now tell me… just what exactly are you doing to this poor, innocent child?”
Hearing that, Sandra snorted, amusement flickering across her face, “Innocent?” she repeated mockingly, before pointing a sharp, “Him?”
The hooded figure turned her gaze toward Aether… who blinked back with wide, clueless eyes, his expression so pure, so utterly naive, that it was as if ‘he was the kind of guy who wouldn’t even know how to drink milk if it was placed right in front of him, let alone do anything sinful.’
“Fucker!!” Sandra growled…. Seeing that stupidly innocent look plastered on his face only added fuel to the fire raging inside her.
With a furious snarl, she tightened her grip around his neck, fingers digging in as if she might snap it right then and there. “Motherfucker! Not only are you playing around, but you’re also fucking around—everywhere! You filthy, rotten, shameless bastard!!”
Aether could only offer an awkward, lopsided smile, making no effort to resist her grasp. He knew exactly what she was doing.
It was just like before—exactly like in the previous timeline. She was trying to provoke him, to push him into reacting.
But… was she angrier now than she had been before?
Maybe she was really angry this time?
‘Maybe because I was here this time?’ Aether mused.
“You disgusting, rotten, ugly, useless, worthless, dickless—”
“Oi?”
Aether, who had been calmly enduring her chokehold until now, suddenly frowned. That crossed a line.
There were certain things no man could ignore, no matter who said them. Even between lovers, between spouses, there were insults that were simply unacceptable.
Sandra stiffened for a moment, catching the dark glint in his eyes. His gaze had turned eerily blank as if something inside him had shifted. Realizing she may have gone a little too far, she hesitated—but then, this was what she wanted, she smirked. “Oh? What’s wrong? Getting angr—”
“Enough.”
The hooded figure finally spoke.
She had no idea what was happening between these two, nor did she particularly care. There was a mission to be completed, and time was running out. Victor was already on his way to the Empire.
“The plans have changed,”
Both Sandra and Aether froze, their heads snapping toward her in perfect unison.
“What do you mean?” Sandra frowned beneath her hood, her sharp eyes narrowing.
The hooded figure, however, turned her attention elsewhere—her cold, calculating gaze landing on Raven. With an eerie calmness, she murmured, “It’s time to finish what we started.”
Sandra’s eyes widened in shock… She hadn’t expected them to change the plan so drastically—especially not when it involved eliminating Raven.
“But… didn’t you say we needed her alive?” Sandra’s voice wavered slightly, searching for any sign of hesitation in the hooded figure’s stance.
The hooded figure merely shrugged, her tone light yet firm. “I don’t know… Plans just changed. Now—finish her off.”
Sandra fell silent, staring at the hooded figure as if trying to decipher something. Slowly, she turned her gaze toward Aether.
He was watching her blankly, his face unreadable, as if waiting for her decision.
Her lips trembled. Her hands, which had been strangling Aether just moments ago, gradually loosened their grip. She knew what needed to be done. This was her chance—to push things toward the inevitable.
Before anyone could react, a water knife materialized in her hand. In the blink of an eye, she lunged toward Raven, her aim precise—straight for the throat.
But—
“Gone?”
Sandra’s brow furrowed as her attack met nothing but empty air. Raven had vanished.
“Fu~Fu~ It wouldn’t be any fun without her tied up first, now would it?”
A slow, amused chuckle echoed through the room as the hooded figure twirled a few strands of rope between her fingers. The very ropes that had been restraining Raven only moments ago.
Sandra’s face twisted with fury, “What the fuck—”
“Now, now… no need to get so worked up,” the hooded figure teased, a smirk playing at her lips, “If you want her back, you’d better hurry before she gets too far~”
Sandra let out a frustrated snort but didn’t waste any more time. She turned swiftly and bolted off in search of Raven.
Meanwhile, Aether, watching her retreating figure, let out a small, knowing grin.
‘So he really went with this move, huh?’ A flicker of realization crossed his eyes as if he had predicted this exact chain of events, ‘That means… they escaped, didn’t they?’
The hooded figure turned toward Aether then…. With slow, deliberate movements, she reached out, her fingers ghosting over his cheek in a strangely gentle caress. Then,
“Now, be a good boy and lie there, darling~”
Before he could react, her wrist flicked ever so slightly. A hidden metal blade shot out from under her sleeve, grazing his cheek in a barely noticeable motion.
Then—
His entire body went rigid.
!~Ding~!
[Your blood has been paralyzed]
The hooded figure let out a soft chuckle, clearly pleased with herself. Watching Aether’s body stiffen under the effect of her poison, she leaned down, and whispered into his ears,
“Goodbye~”
Then, She pinched his lips lightly before straightening herself turning on her heel and walked away!
Aether remained stiff…. still for only a brief moment before—
!~Ding~!
[Venom Apex Resilience activated!]
!~Ding~!
[Your blood has been purified… The paralyzing effect is removed!]
“Hehe~”